Menses is a viscoelastic fluid composed of blood (primarily red blood cells and plasma), cervical mucus and/or tissue fragments. Mucin is found in virtually all menses samples. Mucin is a large linear glycoprotein having molecular weights up to 20 million or more. In combination with water and salts, mucin is a principal component of mucus, including cervical mucus. Mucin, with its large linear molecules, is believed to form networks in solution, giving rise to the viscoelastic properties of menses.
As menses and other non-menstrual fluids exit the vagina, they often wick along the body, causing the fluids to remain on the skin or on hair located in this region, causing the fluid to dry out and remain on the skin and/or hair. When absorbent articles are used to absorb and contain these fluids, often the fluids do not reach the absorbent article so that the absorbent article will be able to absorb and contain the desired fluids. The failure of the fluids to reach the absorbent article is often due to the viscoelastic properties of menses and menses preferred attraction to the skin. As a result of these fluids remaining on the skin, a number of undesirable situations may occur, including, transfer of the fluids to undergarments, staining of undergarments and unwanted odors.
Absorbent materials and absorbent articles are known in the art and are known to have a wide variety of uses, in particular for absorbing bodily fluids. Examples of such absorbent materials and absorbent articles include, for example; personal care products, such as disposable diapers and training pants; feminine hygiene products, such as sanitary napkins and tampons; incontinent care products, such as pads and undergarments and the like. As is mentioned above, some fluids designed to be absorbed by these articles sometimes do not reach the absorbent article, due to the fluids being deposited on skin and hair. In addition, highly viscous fluids are often difficult to absorb into absorbent articles. For example, in feminine hygiene products, the viscoelastic properties of menses often make it challenging to absorb and distribute within the feminine hygiene products. The viscosity and/or elastic components of such fluids tend to impose requirements for absorption and/or distribution within the absorbent structure of the absorbent product.
In addition, mucin causes many challenges in menses absorbent articles. Mucin in menses reduces intake of the menses fluid through the cover or body facing surface of an absorbent article. In addition, mucin tends to hamper fluid distribution in the absorbent article due to its highly viscoelastic and stringy nature. It is believed that mucin forms a three-dimensional network on the surface of the absorbent article, thereby blocking the intake ability of the absorbent article. When additional insults of menses come into contact with the three-dimensional network on the surface of the absorbent article, the additional insults may flow over the three-dimensional network, thereby causing the absorbent article to leak. Further, if the mucin component does penetrate the surface of the absorbent article, the mucin may clog the pores of the underlying absorbent layers, thereby causing a local saturation (most, if not all, of the pores in an area being filled to capacity) of the absorbent layer and/or the intake layer. The local saturation may cause leakage, especially with subsequent insults or prevent further distribution of the menses in the x, y and z directions within the absorbent article or individual layers which may be present in an absorbent article, leading to leakage or fluid remaining on the pad surface, which in turn leads to skin wetness.
Over the course of many years, a number of commercially available products have been developed to assist individuals in cleaning themselves in the labial and perianal regions of the body. Conventional bath tissues have been used for many years and, recently, flushable wet bath tissues have been introduced. These products may be used alone, or in combination, to effectuate cleansing of the perianal and labial regions.
Proper cleaning skin in the perianal and vaginal regions can be difficult due to the topography of the skin in that region and the presence of hair follicles. A common problem encountered by many individuals during cleaning of these areas after bowel movements or during menstruation is the occasional sticking of fecal material or the frequent occurrence of menses to the skin in the perianal and labial areas. Additionally, because fecal material generally contains bacteria and active enzymes, the presence of this material in the perianal region after bowel movement cleanup can also result in skin irritation, redness, and even inflammation and infection for sensitive individuals. Residual menstrual fluid can support the accumulation of organic material which can persist with subsequent cleanings. These residues contain bacteria, yeast, enzymes, odor inducing agents, and microbial growth promoters. These factors can alone or in combination cause skin irritation, itching sensations, infections, as well as personal discomfort.
Based on the foregoing, it is clear that maintaining clean and healthy skin in the perianal, labial and surrounding areas is difficult, yet important. As such, products that can improve cleaning of the skin in these regions are highly desirable, as are products which can aid in transferring the viscoelastic fluids from the body to the absorbent articles to maintain clean skin in between product changes. It would also be desirable for the products to be flushable and of low cost.